1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a material for and method of effecting the decomposition/dissociation of water into hydrogen and oxygen.
The water is reacted with an amalgam of sodium, aluminum and mercury to form hydrogen and a metallic hydroxide denoted by the formula Na.sub.3 AL(OH).sub.6. The Na.sub.3 AL(OH).sub.6 is unstable at the temperature of formation in the presence of a catalyst comprising nickel and at least one element selected from the group consisting of germanium, antimony, gallium, thallium, indium, and bismuth and breaks down to form metallic sodium and aluminum thereby releasing oxygen and hydrogen.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known in the prior art that the alkali metals react with water to form hydrogen and the stable alkali metal hydroxide. The foregoing reaction is rapid, the heat generated intense and explosion of hydrogen ordinarily occurs. The result is an unsatisfactory and dangerous method of generating hydrogen. It is also well know that alkali metal peroxides may be used for the generation of oxygen (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,574,561).
Thermochemical cycles comprising metal-metaloid combinations for the generation of both hydrogen and oxygen are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,969,495.
Closed cycle processes for dissociation of water into hydrogen and oxygen are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,821,358, 3,928,549 and 4,011,305. Combinations of various metals in multistep processes for dissociation of water are, therefore, well known; however, the simple and facile manner of producing hydrogen and oxygen utilizing an amalgam of alkali metal, aluminum and mercury combined with a catalytic alloy comprising nickel and at least one element selected from the group consisting of germanium, antimony, gallium, thallium, indium, and bismuth, has not been heretofore appreciated.